"We've got to leave - now!" Van whispered urgently to his partner as they sat at the bar in the latest hot spot in LA.
"Come on man, Vincent's going to get hinky if we leave after only 20 minutes."
"Now Deaq. You get the car, and I'll join you in 5 – please." Deaq risked a glance at his partner after the plea and got up and moved as soon as he saw a flicker of fear – something he had never seen before from his partner – in the green eyes. Van waited til Deaq was out the door before heading for the men's room. He took the end stall and threw up.
"Drive," Van ordered as he shut the passenger door and his eyes.
"What the hell?"
"I'll tell you at the Store." Those were the last words Van said until they were inside the Candy Store.
"Billie, we've got to drop this case. I think I got made tonight." He was leaning over the boss' desk, intent on getting his message across.
"You think you got made…what is that supposed to mean exactly? We're not dropping this case based on what you think." She was in the sarcastic mode she always used with Van.
His fist hit the desk making her jump. "Venice Jones was in that club. He's supposed to be in jail for the next 15 years at least, I know because I put him there."
"Van, what're you talking about?" Deaq was in his customary chair and had watched the interplay of his teammates quietly, his mind still on the look in Van's eyes at the club.
"Your brother and I ran a sting on Jones. We sent him up for illegal possession of drugs, intent to sell, assault, assault with a deadly weapon, and the attempted murder of a police officer. He was there tonight, and if he saw me, we were made." He had taken his seat and recited this in a monotone.
"Van you must have been mistaken, there's no way you saw Jones." Billie said.
"It was Jones," he said resolutely. "He's starred in enough of my nightmares for me to know it was him." Van stood up while talking and stalked away.
Billie started typing furiously. "Damn," she said reading the screen.
"Billie?"
"He's in witness protection, Marshals got him six months ago, but his handlers haven't heard from him in three." She typed some more and then continued reading.
"How'd he get in witness protection if he tried to kill a cop?" When Deaq didn't get an answer, he headed for the back room where they had files on all their old cases as well as the cases his partner had worked with Dre. He found what he wanted and sat down on the red couch and began to read. Venice Jones was a serious head case. When Dre and Van took him down he was selling crack laced with rat poison to high school kids. He had knifed Dre, hurting him badly and according to the reports, including Dre's own, Van had pulled the 6'5" 325 pound man off his partner and almost lost his life as a consequence. The photos of the damage done, the knife responsible for the damage and the perp's violent history had Deaq on his feet and headed back to Billie, folder in hand.
"Where's Van?" Billie asked nervously, looking up from her screen.
"He's up top."
"He stays here til the Marshals get Venice back. I've called and told them what we know. They're on their way over."
"What aren't you telling me Billie?"
"Deaq, according to the file the cop Venice was trying to kill was Van -- and he almost succeeded… At the trial, Jones threatened Van – told him in front of a full courtroom – he was going to finish what he started. And after he bolted, the Marshals found a recent photo of Van in his apartment."
"Damn." Deaq put the file folder on her desk and opened it to the photos. "You seen what he did to our boy?" Billie's face paled as she went through the pictures. The numerous knife wounds on her officer's back and legs were long and deep and …she shut the file abruptly. She didn't want to see anymore.
"I'm going to work with the Marshals, see if I can help get him off the street ASAP. I need you here watching Van. Venice Jones is not going to touch him again. Not on my watch." Billie was in serious protector mode.
"I want to help you look. We need to take him off the streets now." Deaq demanded, the seriousness of his tone matching hers.
Billie shook her head, long hair swinging with the motion. "Deaq, Van's going to fight staying here as it is. If you're out on the street there's no way he stays."
The big man's mind went over the pictures again and he shuddered. "I'll take care of my partner, just make sure you catch the son of a bitch."
The two climbed the squeaky metal staircase to the balcony and found their teammate sitting in the middle of a row, knees drawn tight to his chest with his head on his knees.
"Hey partner," Deaq called out as they approached, "you alright?" The head came up and the haunted look hit them both. They took a seat on either side. Billie tapped him gently on the shoulder and withdrew her hand while Deaq grasped the other shoulder.
"How'd he get out?"
"He ratted on a gang involved in drug smuggling in the prison. He's in the witness protection program."
"And nobody in the Marshals Service thought it was odd to let a cop…to let a man who tried to kill two cops out…" His voice remained low, but Deaq could feel him shaking.
"Billie's gonna make sure the Marshals put him back where he belongs. And you and I are going to stay here and tend to the Store."
"No!" Van was out of his seat in an instant and turned to stare at his two friends. "You are not going to lock me up here while…"
"Van, I am ordering you to stay here," she raised a hand to stop the protest. "We know what Jones said to you in the courtroom. And the Marshals found a recent picture of you in his apartment after he skipped. I'm not going to put you or your partner out on the street until he is back behind bars where he belongs."
"He doesn't belong behind bars, he belongs in Hell." Van said before turning and walking away.
Billie stopped Deaq, "Let him go for now."
Van was back in the balcony when two US Marshals arrived to talk with them about Jones. Deaq waited for him at the bottom of the stairs, and they walked over to Billie's office together, taking up a position on either side of their boss.
"When and where did your boys see Jones?" The older Marshal with steel grey eyes asked.
"Detective Hayes and Officer Ray saw Jones at 4ME, a new club off Sunset last night." Billie responded. "I have a question of my own. When you sprang Jones from jail, why wasn't the officer he threatened in front of an entire courtroom notified?
"That was five years ago, Jones probably doesn't even remember the guy," the younger Marshal responded.
"Really," Deaq growled, "Then how do you explain the recent picture of the officer your boys found at his apartment?"
"How do you even know it was Jones they saw – it wasn't like anybody was looking for him?" The tow headed Marshal asked,trying to change the direction of the discussion.
"If you'd bothered to do your homework," Billie started, trying to control her anger, "you'd know that Officer Ray put Jones behind bars."
"Yeah, well, Jones was sent to jail a bunch of times. You sure he wasn't just drinking or…" he looked disdainfully at the undercover cop, "doing whatever it is your guys do."
"West, shut it!" The senior Marshal barked.
Deaq leaned forward, arms straight on the desk. "Look asshole, we were working and we were sober. So you just stop right now, if you know what's good for you." The intention was crystal clear in the tone.
"Officer Ray identified Jones -- the killer he put in jail and you let out and lost." Billie finished, eyes glittering.
"It's been five years boy, how sure are you it was Jones?" The younger Marshal asked, clearly missing the message.
"I am not your boy," Van said evenly, "and it was Jones. I'm not likely to ever forget the face of the man who tried to kill my partner, and did so much damage they put 309 stitches in me." He faced them all down, his face devoid of any emotion.
"Any other questions?" Billie asked pointedly. "Good."
When the meeting finished, the senior Marshal went up to Van, who remained standing behind Billie, with his back up against the office wall. "Officer Ray, I want to apologize for my colleague. His mouth still gets in front of his brain every once in a while. I just want to make sure you understand that we did not make the decision to let the guy out of prison, with his record he should have been locked away for life. But we did make a mistake in not letting you know he was out there, and we're going to find him. You have my word." The green eyes studied the grey ones carefully, than nodded. Deaq had remained close, not sure he wanted these Marshals anywhere near his partner.
While the bartenders at the club and the doorman all identified Jones, no one had seen him since that night. Van was so close to the edge after three days of being locked away that Deaq was afraid to let him out of his sight. He knew his partner wasn't sleeping -- the dark circles under the eyes only served to highlight his paleness.
Van received a page from Vincent, the mark they had been working,the afternoon of the third day, asking him to come to the club that night to conclude their deal. The two men were arguing about it when Billie and Marshal Colter found them.
"I can't sit here on my ass for the next three years because Venice pulled a Houdini. In case you forgot, we have a job to do!" Van yelled, arms wheeling about him as he paced in front of his partner.
"I didn't forgot anything, partner," he rebutted with heavy sarcasm, "especially the fact that we are partners, and this is our case and there is no way in hell you are walking into that club alone tonight. Simply isn't going to happen."
"Guys, Guys!" Billie yelled. The two men turned, startled to find they had an audience.
"Now that I have your attention will one of you tell me what is going on?"
"Vincent wants a meet tonight at the club. I'm going…alone." Van responded.
"No you are not!" Deaq said adamantly. "It's a set up for Venice and you know it. What is wrong with you? You can't seriously believe I'm going to sit back and let you walk into a trap."
The green eyes latched onto the brown. "If you think I'm going to give him a free shot at you – you don't know me at all." Deaq could tell there was a lot left unsaid in that sentence but he couldn't read it all in the eyes.
"Just stop it." Billie ordered, her eyes going from one officer to the other and back. There was clearly something else going on here.
Marshal Colter stepped up beside Billie, "Could I talk with Detective Hayes for a few?" Billie nodded and Colter followed Hayes up to the seats in the balcony.
"Detective."
"Deaq."
"Deaq, has your partner told you what happened with Jones?"
"No, I read the file though so I have a pretty good idea."
"The file doesn't tell this story. Jones killed two marshals before your partner took him down, but we could never pin it on him. I was involved in the sting and the trial that followed. No one there that night will ever forget the pool of blood we found your partner in. His back and his legs were sliced to ribbons. The paramedics weren't sure they would even get him to the hospital alive. And I still haven't figured out how he pulled that animal off his partner."
"My brother."
Colter nodded, "That makes sense now. Andre was a good man. I was sorry to hear that he died."
"Thanks man. Van blames himself for that – wasn't his fault, but he doesn't believe that just yet."
"That's why he doesn't want you at the club." Colter responded. "He knows what Jones is capable of, and he isn't going to want you anywhere near.
"Your partner was still recovering from the wounds he received when the trial started. The defense attorneys insisted Van be present for more than a week – kept saying they were going to call him and then they would find a reason to delay. He couldn't sit for any length of time due to the damage Venice had done to his back and legs, so he had to lay on his stomach on a couch in the DA's office for 10 to 12 hours a day waiting to be called. When he finally was, they kept him on the stand for four days - - most of it spent with useless motions. They must have thought he would lose his temper or get confused. They were trying to humiliate him.
"He looked so young – too young to be a cop – and he was in pain. Your brother had to help him off the witness stand the third day cause he couldn't stand. But his voice never wavered, and no matter how many times they made him tell the story, it never changed." Colter stopped and looked at Deaq. "Your partner is a hell of a cop."
"I know, but what does all this have to do with him walking into that club tonight alone."
"It felt like Venice held all the cards then – I know it did to me and it had to be a lot worse for Van. He isn't going to give him anything this time, and I think it would be best if you went with him on this."
Deaq was out of the chair "You must be crazy! Van is MY partner and there is simply no way he is walking in there without me -- none, nada, zip, zero, zilch."
"Come in with me as backup – but don't walk in with him. I don't think he can handle this any other way." Colter replied softly.
"He's right Deaq," Van said coming to stand beside Colter. "I can't do what needs to be done if I have to watch your back. I need you to play this out my way."
Deaq didn't want to give in on this. His heart was screaming at him to say no, but his head knew that Van would find a way around him if he didn't go along. He respected his partner and friend and didn't want to see him hurt again – he still could see the fear in Van's eyes that first night. "I don't like it. But if this is what you need, then I'll go with it. But I am coming in with Colter."
Van's eyes lightened when he smiled, and Deaq felt some of his resolve to go through with this falter, but he returned the smile and tapped the fist Van was holding out. At that point Billie called for him and he headed downstairs.
Van turned to face Marshal Colter. "I knew I'd seen you before. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I could see how hard this was for you -- didn't think I needed to bring up any more memories."
Van tilted his head slightly as he continued to stare at the older man. "You helped me out of the courtroom the second day I was on the stand." The Marshal nodded. "I wouldn't have made it out on my own…never got a chance to thank you for that."
"That's what the defense attorneys wanted – you to fall – that's why they made the DA drag your partner into a back room. You fought too hard to come back to let them do that…wasn't going to let it happen, and you're welcome."
Deaq found Van shooting baskets an hour later while Billie and Colter went over the layout for backup. He grabbed a rebound and passed it back to his partner. "Does what Colter told me have to do with why you can't sit still for more than 10 minutes at a time and why you turn on the seat heater even when it's 70 degrees out?" Van made the shot before answering.
"Yeah."
"Why didn't you just tell me? I feel like such a jerk for all the grief I've given you about it."
"Look, Jones had his chance to turn my life upside down and he did. But he had his time, and it's over. No point it bringing up things you can't change. Besides, I figured you were picking on me because you liked me." The goofy grin made Deaq laugh – causing both Colter and Billie to look up from the desk – it was a sound that had been absent for the last three days.
"Now I wouldn't go quite that far dawg, but I will admit to being fond of you, kind of the way you're fond of that stray puppy that hangs out in your hood."
"Oh no, tell me you didn't just compare me to a dog?" Van was laughing as he spread his hands wide to emphasize his question. Deaq's smile just got bigger as he realized that his partner was back in the room. It had been hard dealing with the silent stranger.
Deaq sat with Van on the couch after the briefing. They were quiet for a few minutes. Van leaned into his partner's shoulder and reached out a hand to grab his in their version of a handshake. "Thanks man, I know this is hard for you."
"Just promise me you'll be careful." Deaq sought some assurance from his partner.
"You have my word."
Van walked into the club at 1 a.m. and settled himself at the bar. He kept an eye on the room through the mirror behind the bar. Vincent came up and sat beside him 15 minutes later. He pushed an envelope and a key to Van while he sipped his scotch. Van pulled his phone out and placed a call. "Do it." He said and hung up.
"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Strummer." Vincent said raising his glass. Van simply smiled and raised his own glass. He finished off his scotch and rose to leave. "I have a friend who'd like to meet you. He thinks the two of you might be able to work out a business arrangement similar to ours." Vincent said putting a hand on Van's shoulder.
"I need to make a call first," Van said, "don't want the fine lady waiting for me to think I've forgotten her." He dialed and Deaq answered in the surveillance truck. "Hey it's me. Looks like my business is going to take a little bit longer then I thought. Don't wait up, I'll join you as soon as I'm through….Yeah, love you too." Deaq and Colter exchanged a look.
Billie was in the club at a table in the back and watched as Vincent and Van walked toward a side door. "They're headed toward the door on the left side – the fire exit – they're headed out." She spoke as she raised her purse off the floor and headed for the same door.
Deaq and Colter left the truck and moved toward the alley where the door opened. Seven additional officers were arrayed in various hiding places around the club. Deaq wasn't sure he remembered how to breathe when they entered the alley and saw Venice Jones with a knife at Van's throat as he forced him up against the brick wall. Colter put a hand out to stop the detective from continuing forward.
Strummer was in residence, it was clear to Deaq, after hearing his partner "So Venice, you didn't get it right the first time and thought you'd take another shot at me."
"I just didn't have enough time to do the job I wanted last go round. Now it's just you and me, and we have plenty of time. When they find you, there won't be enough left to bury…unless they take the time to pick up all the pieces." He was looming over the smaller man.
"Sorry, you had your chance. You don't get another one." Van said sticking a gun in the man's stomach. "They tell me it can take up to three hours to bleed out if you're gut shot…but like you said we have all the time in the world."
Venice backed away slightly and then slashed the knife at Van's stomach trying to displace the gun. He hadn't noticed the gun in Van's other hand which he fired twice. The bigger man staggered back as Van straightened up. Deaq and Colter were beside him by the time Venice hit the ground.
"Hit him in the leg – didn't want him to miss his time behind bars." Van panted as his right hand curled into his stomach.
"V, he get you?" Deaq asked moving to support his partner.
"Just a scratch." He replied straightening up.
"Damn V – that's more then a scratch – let's get you out of here. The Marshal will deal with Jones." Van stopped their forward movement to look back at Colter who stood over the felon.
"He'll stay in jail this time, right?"
"Finish his mandatory 15; add 10 for skipping out of witness protection plus assault with a deadly weapon – I figure he'll be about 80 before anyone considers letting him out again."
After getting stitched up at the hospital, the doctor agreed to let Van go home, as long as someone was with him. Deaq took him home, settled him into bed and then stretched out on the couch. Late the next morning he found Van awake.
"How you feeling?"
"Pretty good – you?"
"Fine – something bothering you?"
Van shook his head, "You're going to think I've lost it but last night, I dreamed about Dre. I've had a lot of nightmares – but this was the first time since…the first time it has just been a dream. I swear Deaq I could have reached out and touched him." The sense of wonder in the voice drew Deaq to sit beside his partner. "He talked to me like he always did – teasing me about girls, my shirts – he…he told me I did good last night."
"You did Van."
"I miss him so much sometimes."
"I know V, so do I."